UNIVERSITY   OF   CALIFORNIA 

COLLEGE    OF   AGRICULTURE 
AGRICULTURAL   EXPERIMENT  STATION 

CIRCULAR  No.  262 
May,  1923 

CABBAGE  PRODUCTION  IN  CALIFORNIA 

By  HENEY  A.  JONES 


CLIMATIC  AND  SOIL  REQUIREMENTS 

Cabbage  is  a  cool  season  crop,  making  its  best  development  in 
those  localities  where  it  can  grow  to  maturity  under  moderately  humid 
conditions  and  where  the  temperature  is  cool  and  equable.  In  Calif- 
ornia cabbage  does  best  on  the  coast  and  in  the  bay  regions  where 
the  climate  is  subject  to  the  modifying  influence  of  large  bodies  of 
water.  In  these  regions  it  grows  well  throughout  the  greater  part 
of  the  year.  In  the  interior  valleys  the  crop  is  grown  mainly  during 
the  fall,  winter  and  early  spring.  The  cool  and  uniformly  mild 
weather  has  a  tendency  to  hold  in  check  the  cabbage  diseases  that 
are  so  prevalent  in  the  cabbage  growing  districts  of  the  eastern  and 
northern  states. 

SEASONS  OF  PRODUCTION 

Cabbage  is  grown  both  for  local  consumption  and  for  distant 
shipment.  Most  of  the  cabbage  shipped  in  carload  lots  from  California 
is  moved  between  December  and  the  middle  of  June.  This  brings  the 
California  crop  into  competition  with  the  late  crop  that  is  kept  in 
storage  in  New  York  and  Wisconsin  and  with  the  early  crop  from  the 
Southern  states.  By  the  end  of  March  the  stored  product  has  been 
almost  entirely  moved,  but  Alabama,  Florida,  Louisiana,  South  Caro- 
lina and  Texas  ship  enormous  quantities  north  and  keep  the  market 
well  supplied  until  the  middle  of  May  or  first  of  June.  Then  the  early 
crop  starts  to  move  from  Maryland,  New  Jersey,  Ohio,  Virginia,  and 
Tennessee.  During  July  and  August,  the  large  northern  and  eastern 
markets  are  being  pretty  well  supplied  by  home  grown  produce.  This 
home  grown  supply  accounts  largely  for  the  falling  off  in  carlo t  ship- 
ments during  mid-summer.  If  the  northern  late  crop  is  below  the  aver- 
age, or  if  the  southern  acreage  is  small  or  the  yield  low,  there  should  be 
a  strong  demand  for  California  cabbage  at  a  price  that  will  make  east- 
ern shipment  profitable.  The  heavy  line  in  figure  1  shows  the  average 
farm  price  of  cabbage  for  the  United  States  on  the  15th  of  each 
month  for  a  period  of  twelve  years,  1910  to  1921  inclusive.     The 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


peak  of  prices  is  reached  the  latter  part  of  May  and  the  early  part 
of  June.  This  is  near  the  end  of  the  Florida,  South  Carolina  and 
Texas  shipments  and  before  the  early  crop  of  the  north  is  on  the 
market.  During  this  period,  Virginia,  Maryland,  Mississippi  and 
Tennessee  are  the  heaviest  shippers.  It  is  at  this  time  that  California 
must  put  cabbage  on  the  markets  of  the  East  if  profitable  returns 
are  to  be  expected  over  a  series  of  years. 


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Fig.  1. — Average  farm  price  in  the  United  States  per  100  pounds  of  cab- 
bage on  the  15th  of  each  month  for  the  years  1910-1921  inclusive,  and  for  the 
months  January-November,  inclusive,   1922. 

Average  for  years  1910-1921  inclusive. 

Average  for  the  months  January-November,  inclusive,  1922. 

(Data  from  Weather,  Crops  and  Markets,  vol.  2,  no.  26,  p.  570.) 

In  figure  2  are  charted  the  periods  of  shipment  of  some  of  the 
more  important  cabbage  producing  states,  showing  the  relation  they 
bear  to  one  another.  This  diagram  shows  the  approximate  range 
of  dates  that  cabbage  may  be  shipped  from  various  districts.  The 
shading  has  reference  to  the  1922  shipping  season  only,  and  is 
intended  to  show  primarily  the  period  of  greatest  movement  from 
the  various  districts. 

In  figure  3  is  plotted  the  total  carlot  shipments  of  the  entire 
country.  This  curve  shows  the  rapid  decline  in  carlot  shipments  dur- 
ing the  latter  part  of  May  and  the  month  of  June,  a  period  which  is 
also  characterized  by  a  high  average  price.  During  July  and  August 
the  demand  is  usually  taken  care  of  by  home  grown  supplies,  which 
accounts  for  the  small  carlot  movement  during  this  period. 


Circular  262] 


CABBAGE    PRODUCTION    IN    CALIFORNIA 


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Fig.  2. — Showing  the  periods  of  shipment  of  some  of  the  more  important 
cabbage  producing  states  and  the  relation  they  bear  to  one  another;  also 
the  approximate  range  of  dates  that  cabbage  may  be  shipped  from  various 
districts.     The  shading  has  reference  to  the  1922  shipping  season,  only. 

□  50  cars  or  less  per  week.        f'|  51-100  cars  per  week.       HBHi  101  cars  and  more  per  week. 
|  I  Approximate  range  of  dates  that  cabbage  may  be  shipped. 

(Data  from  Weekly  Summary  of  Carlot  Shipments,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture; 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


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Circular  262]  cabbage  production  in  California  5 

The  large  cabbage  growing  districts  are  pretty  well  denned,  the 
principal  ones  being  in  the  northern  states.  The  most  extensive  cab- 
bage district  in  the  United  States  is  in  the  state  of  New  York  and  lies 
between  the  cities  of  Buffalo  and  Syracuse.  About  one-fourth  of 
the  acreage  of  the  entire  country  is  found  in  this  district.  Other 
important  areas  of  production  are  Long  Island,  around  Norfolk  and 
in  Wythe  County,  Virginia;  along  Lake  Michigan  from  Chicago  to 
Milwaukee,  between  Denver  and  Greeley,  Colorado,  in  Florida,  in 
the  Young  Island  district  of  South  Carolina,  in  Copiah  County, 
Mississippi  and  in  the  Lower  Rio  Grande  Valley  of  southern  Texas. 

While  cabbage  growing  in  California  has  not  reached  the  concen- 
tration of  production  that  exists  in  some  other  states,  nevertheless 
the  producing  areas  are  pretty  well  localized.  The  main  districts 
are  around  the  city  of  Los  Angeles,  in  the  Colma  region  south  of 
San  Francisco,  and  in  Orange  County. 

SEEDING,   TRANSPLANTING,  AND  HARVESTING   SEASONS 
FOR   VARIOUS   DISTRICTS 

In  the  Colma  district  south  of  San  Francisco,  cabbage  is  seeded, 
transplanted,  and  harvested  during  nearly  every  season  of  the  year. 
A  variety  known  as  San  Francisco  Market,  also  known  as  Colombo 
Market,  is  grown  in  this  district  almost  exclusively.  It  is  a  very 
distinct  type,  the  head  being  flat  and  the  leaves  especially  heavy 
veined.  This  variety  is  very  hardy  and  is  noted  for  its  slow  habit 
of  growth.  The  seed  is  grown  locally.  The  crop  is  hauled  to  San 
Francisco  by  truck  or  is  shipped  to  the  interior  valleys,  to  Fresno, 
Stockton,  and  Sacramento.  Very  little  is  shipped  to  the  eastern 
markets.     Some  of  the  surplus  is  made  into  sauerkraut. 

In  the  Salinas  Valley  district  of  Monterey  County,  the  date  for 
sowing  seed  ranges  from  June  to  October,  the  plants  are  transplanted 
into  the  field  from  September  to  December,  and  the  crop  is  harvested 
from  February  to  May.  In  the  Salinas  district  cabbage  production 
is  largely  localized  between  the  Salinas  River  Valley  and  the  coast. 

In  Contra  Costa  County  seed  for  the  fall  crop  is  ordinarily  planted 
from  July  1  to  July  15.  The  crop  is  transplanted  to  the  field  six 
to  seven  weeks  after  the  seed  has  been  sown,  and  the  crop  is  harvested 
from  October  15  to  January  15.  The  seed  for  the  summer  crop 
is  planted  from  February  1  to  February  15,  transplanting  is  done 
seven  to  eight  weeks  after  seeding  and  the  crop  is  harvested  from 
July  1  to  August  31.  The  dwarf  Flat  Dutch  is  grown  for  the  sum- 
mer crop  and  Copenhagen  Market  for  the  fall  crop.  Practically 
all  of  the  cabbage  grown  is  disposed  of  in  the  local  markets,  principally 
in  Walnut  Creek,  Concord,  Martinez,  and  Pittsburg. 


6  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT   STATION 

In  San  Diego  County,  seed  is  sown  from  June  15  to  August  1 
and  plants  set  in  the  field  July  15  to  September  1.  The  chief  varieties 
planted  are  Danish  Ballhead  and  Winningstadt.  A  portion  of  the 
crop  is  marketed  locally  and  carlot  shipments  go  to  Arizona,  Utah, 
Washington  and  other  parts  of  the  west.  Between  300  and  400  acres 
of  cabbage  are  grown  in  San  Diego  County  each  year  and  production 
is  concentrated  mainly  in  the  El  Cajon,  San  Luis  Rey,  San  Diego, 
and  Tia  Juana  valleys. 

In  Ventura  County,  seed  can  be  planted  at  almost  any  time  of 
the  year  and  the  same  can  be  said  of  transplanting  into  the  field. 
The  variety  usually  planted  is  Winningstadt.  The  crop  can  be 
brought  to  maturity  at  any  time  of  the  year.  Most  of  the  crop  goes 
to  Los  Angeles.  Growing  is  largely  localized  about  Oxnard  near 
the  ocean.     The  area  in  Ventura  County  ranges  from  80  to  100  acres. 

In  San  Bernardino  County  cabbage  production  is  primarily  for 
the  local  markets,  the  surplus  going  to  Los  Angeles.  There  is  prob- 
ably more  cabbage  imported  into  the  county  than  is  shipped  out. 
The  best  results  are  had  by  sowing  seed  about  July  15  and  trans- 
planted into  the  field  early  in  September.  The  crop  is  harvested 
during  December  and  January.  The  common  varieties  are  Win- 
ningstadt and  Danish  Ballhead. 

A  considerable  acreage  of  cabbage  is  grown  in  Orange  County. 
Seed  is  generally  sown  the  latter  part  of  August  and  during  Sep- 
tember and  October.  Transplanting  is  generally  done  in  the  latter 
part  of  September,  October  and  the  first  part  of  November.  The 
crop  is  harvested  during  December,  January  and  February.  The 
varieties  chiefly  grown  are  Winningstadt,  Flat  Dutch,  and  Cannon- 
ball.  The  principal  centers  of  production  in  Orange  County  are 
at  Buena  Park,  Stanton  and  Irvine. 

Cabbage  production  in  Sonoma  County  is  largely  localized  about 
the  city  of  Santa  Rosa.  The  plantings  in  the  county  approximate 
90  acres.  The  local  markets  and  San  Francisco  take  most  of  the 
crop.  The  Early  York  variety  is  grown  for  the  early  spring  crop, 
maturing  in  May.  Early  Flat  Dutch  is  harvested  in  June  following 
Early  York,  while  Late  Flat  Dutch  is  harvested  in  October,  November 
and  December. 

In  Santa  Cruz  County,  seeding  and  transplanting  can  be  done  at 
almost  any  time  of  the  year.  The  harvesting  season  extends  through- 
out the  entire  year.  For  the  summer  crop,  however,  the  transplant- 
ing is  done  in  December  and  for  the  winter  crop,  in  August.  The 
principal  varieties  planted  are  Early  Flat  Dutch,  Sugar  Loaf,  Copen- 
hagen Market,  Early  Jersey  Wakefield,  Late  Flat  Dutch,  and  Danish 
Ballhead. 


Circular  262]  CABBAGE  PRODUCTION   IN    CALIFORNIA  7 

In  San  Joaquin  County,  the  cabbage  is  mostly  localized  within 
a  radius  of  ten  miles  of  Stockton.  Some  of  the  crop  is  sold  for 
sauerkraut  manufacture,  some  shipped  to  San  Francisco,  but  most  of 
the  crop  is  sold  in  Fresno,  Stockton,  and  other  San  Joaquin  Valley 
towns.  The  varieties  principally  grown  are  Early  Flat  Dutch,  Late 
Flat  Dutch,  and  Drumhead.  Seed  for  late  crop  is  sown  in  August  and 
September  and  the  plants  are  set  in  the  field  in  September  and  Octo- 
ber. The  late  crop  is  harvested  from  December  to  February.  The 
early  crop  is  harvested  from  March  to  May. 

Only  a  small  acreage  of  cabbage  is  grown  in  Tehama  County. 
For  the  early  crop  seed  is  usually  sown  in  hot-beds  in  December. 
Transplanting  into  the  field  when  the  plants  are  about  six  weeks 
old  brings  the  crop  to  maturity  during  May  and  June.  The  varieties 
grown  are  the  Copenhagen  Market  and  Early  Flat  Dutch. 

In  Los  Angeles  County  a  considerable  tonnage  of  cabbage  is 
shipped  throughout  the  winter,  spring  and  early  summer.  At  present 
a  large  portion  of  the  cabbage  shipped  from  Los  Angeles  County  is 
in  cars  of  mixed  vegetables,  so  it  does  not  show  up  in  the  carlot 
movements.  The  Winningstadt  is  the  favorite  shipping  cabbage ;  the 
Flat  Dutch,  Danish  Ballhead,  and  Copenhagen  Market  varieties  are 
grown  for  the  home  trade. 

In  the  Imperial  Valley,  cabbage  can  be  grown  during  the  late 
fall,  winter  and  early  spring.  The  seed  should  be  sown  early  enough 
for  the  plants  to  be  set  out  in  the  field  during  October  or  November. 
The  crop  is  harvested  from  February  to  May.  Aphis  infestations 
are  especially  severe  in  this  county. 

VABIETIES 

It  is  very  important  that  a  variety  be  selected  for  planting  that 
grows  and  produces  well  in  the  locality  under  consideration  and 
at  the  same  time  satisfies  the  demand  of  the  market  to  which  the 
district  caters.  Attention  must  be  given  to  the  selection  of  varieties 
and  strains  that  are  well  suited  to  climatic  conditions  and  to  the 
market  demands. 

Winningstadt. — This  variety  is  at  present  the  one  most  exten- 
sively grown  in  southern  California,  and  probably  is  the  favorite 
variety  among  the  shippers.  It  has  an  excellent  dark  green  color 
and  is  of  the  proper  size  to  pack  well.  It  is  a  solid  heading,  sharply 
pointed  cabbage  and  is  more  resistant  to  insect  and  disease  attacks 
and  more  tolerant  to  variations  in  climatic  conditions  than  many 
other  varieties. 


8 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Scott's  Cross. — This  is  a  variety  of  recent  introduction  that  is 
being  given  a  trial  by  a  number  of  growers  in  the  Los  Angeles  dis- 
trict. The  variety  is  said  to  be  a  cross  between  Winningstadt  and 
Flat  Dutch.  It  is  a  heavier  yielder  than  Winningstadt  and  appar- 
ently tolerates  considerable  cold  and  checking  in  growth  without 
injuring  its  ability  to  head. 

Some  strains  of  Scott's  Cross  have  in  the  past  lacked  uniformity 
which  has  been  one  of  the  chief  objections  heretofore  to  this  variety. 
One  of  the  great  problems  of  the  grower  in  southern  California 
is  to  prevent  cabbage  from  going  to  seed  instead  of  forming  a  head. 
The  introduction  of  a  variety  or  strain  that  will  not  have  a  tendency 
to  go  to  seed  after  being  checked  by  unfavorable  weather  will  be  a 
great  asset  to  the  growers. 


Fig.  4. — Late  Flat  Dutch  cabbage.  Specimen  at  the  right  shows  growth 
habit  of  the  entire  plant.  Same  plant  at  the  left  with  near  leaves  removed 
to   show  head  type. 


Early  Jersey  Wakefield. — The  head  of  Jersey  Wakefield  is  sharply 
pointed.  It  has  a  very  small  head,  and  except  where  extreme  earli- 
ness  is  essential  the  Charleston  Wakefield  or  Copenhagen  Market 
is  preferred.  It  does  not  hold  up  long  after  maturity.  It  is  an 
excellent  variety  for  the  home  garden  but  is  not  grown  extensively 
in  California. 

Late  Flat  Dutch. — Also  known  as  Premium  Flat  Dutch  and  Pre- 
mium Late  Flat  Dutch.  The  head  is  large  and  considerably  flat- 
tened. A  late  maturing  variety  but  exceptionally  heavy  producer; 
not  suited  for  shipment  because  of  tendency  to  grow  over-sized ;  a  good 
type  of  Late  Flat  Dutch  is  shown  in  figure  4. 

Copenhagen  Market. — The  Copenhagen  Market  cabbage  is  of 
Danish  origin  and  was  first  introduced  into  the  United  States  in 
1912.     No  cabbage  introduced  in  recent  years  has  had  the  popular 


CIRCULAR  262  J  CABBAGE    PRODUCTION    IN    CALIFORNIA  9 

reception  accorded  this  variety  and  it  is  being  planted  extensively 
as  a  truck  crop,  market  garden  crop,  and  in  the  home  garden.  The 
head  is  nearly  round,  solid,  and  matures  at  approximately  the  same 
time  as  the  Charleston  Wakefield. 

Early  Flat  Butch. — This  is  one  of  the  oldest  varieties  grown  in 
this  country  having  been  listed  by  seedsmen  as  early  as  1847.  It 
is  a  short  stemmed  variety  and  has  very  few  outer  leaves.  It  is 
grown  largely  in  central  California  as  a  late  winter  and  early  spring 
crop. 

Banish  Ballhead  or  Hollander. — This  is  a  late  variety  and  is  the 
one  most  commonly  grown  for  storage  purposes.  The  head  is  nearly 
round,  solid,  of  good  quality  and  of  a  bluish  green  color. 

The  shipping  and  market  term  "Danish  type"  refers  to  all  those 
varieties  with  hard  smooth  heads  with  oval,  round  or  slightly  flat 
shape,  and  with  smooth,  tight,  broadly  overlapping  leaves,  such  as 
Danish  Ballhead  and  Cannonball. 

GKOWING  PLANTS 

Plants  may  be  raised  in  hot  beds,  cold  frames  or  in  open  beds. 
The  locality  and  the  time  of  the  year  that  the  seed  is  sown  will 
determine  the  method  to  be  used. 

Growing  Plants  in  Hot  Beds. — When  plants  are  started  during 
the  cold  winter  months  it  is  often  an  advantage  to  sow  the  seed  in 
hot  beds.  The  beds  should  be  located  where  they  will  be  protected 
from  the  prevailing  winds,  have  an  abundance  of  sunlight  and  where 
good  natural  drainage  is  afforded.  They  should  be  situated  so  as 
to  have  a  ready  supply  of  water  available.  Figure  5  (above)  shows 
the  cross  section  of  a  hot  bed  with  dimensions  and  method  of  filling. 
The  bottom  of  the  pit  is  22  inches  below  the  ground  line.  The  north 
side  of  the  frame  should  be  at  least  six  inches  higher  than  the  south 
side.  Figure  5  (below)  shows  top  view  of  hot  bed  with  dimensions 
and  methods  of  construction. 

Fresh  horse  manure  should  be  spread  uniformly  in  a  compact 
pile.  When  heating  starts  the  manure  should  be  placed  in  the  beds. 
That  portion  of  the  pile  heating  most  violently  should  be  placed  at 
the  bottom  of  the  bed  and  that  which  has  not  yet  started  to  heat 
should  be  placed  near  the  top.  Each  three  or  four  inches  of  manure 
added  should  be  well  tramped  so  as  to  have  the  entire  mass  uniformly 
packed.  It  is  well  to  add  a  bucket  or  two  of  water  to  each  bed  so 
as  to  prevent  burning  during  fermentation.  About  4  inches  of  soil 
should  now  be  spread  over  the  manure.     A  sandy  loam  that  is  free 


10 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


from  large  clods  and  stones,  or  else  sieved  through  a  screen  with 
about  one-quarter  inch  mesh  is  best.  Within  a  day  or  two  after 
placing  the  manure  in  the  beds  it  will  heat  violently  but  the  heating 
will  subside  in  another  day  or  two.  Seed  should  not  be  planted  until 
after  the  first  violent  heat  is  over.  When  the  temperature  has  receded 
to  85-80°  F.  the  seed  can  be  planted.  It  is  best  to  plant  the  seed 
in  rows  three  to  four  inches  apart  and  one-quarter  to  one-half  inch 

Plam  Pop  Making  Hotbld 


I    - 


V  'v  '/ 


. 


Z'*  4-"    C ►"<>«•» --tie 


Mau  be  expended  +o  anij  deaired 


fRAME.  AS    5E.&.N   PROM  ABOVE, 


l'K+" 


Fig.  5. — Above.  Cross  section  of  hot  bed  showing  method  of  construction 
and  filling.  Below.  Top  view  of  cold  frame  or  hot  bed,  with  dimensions  and 
method  of  construction. 


deep.  Seed  should  be  scattered  thinly  in  the  row  as  this  guards 
against  a  weak,  leggy  plant  and  lowers  the  seedling  mortality.  After 
seeds  are  covered  the  soil  should  be  tramped  or  rolled  to  insure 
rapid  and  uniform  germination.  After  watering  the  bed  should  be 
covered  and  left  until  the  seedlings  are  just  breaking  through  the 
soil.  Then  give  plenty  of  sunlight  and  ventilation.  A  too  high 
temperature  at  this  time  is  liable  to  produce  a  leggy,  weak  plant, 
subject  to  damping-off.     Too  rapid  growth  at  this  time  also  causes 


CIRCULAR  262]  CABBAGE   PRODUCTION    IN    CALIFORNIA  11 

the  plant  to  lodge,  developing  a  crooked  stem  and  making  trans- 
planting difficult.  Watering  should  be  done  only  on  bright  morn- 
ings so  that  the  soil  surface  will  soon  dry.  Water  thoroughly  but 
not  too  often. 

The  hot  beds  may  be  covered  with  any  material  that  will  hold 
the  heat  in  the  bed  and  protect  the  bed  from  beating  rains.  Glass 
sash,  tules  or  muslin  may  be  used.  A  medium  weight  muslin  is  much 
cheaper  than  glass  and  seems  to  give  satisfaction  in  most  sections 
of  California.  The  coverings  of  the  beds  should  be  removed  during 
warm  days  and  entirely  removed  a  week  or  ten  days  before  the 
plants  are  set  out  in  the  field,  in  order  to  harden  them  and  make 
them  better  able  to  withstand  the  range  of  temperature  and  humidity 
conditions  to  which  they  will  be  exposed  in  the  field.  Water  should 
be  withheld  to  some  extent  the  last  week  or  ten  days  before  trans- 
planting, as  this  also  helps  to  harden  the  plants  and  makes  them 
better  able  to  withstand  the  shock  of  transplanting.  The  plants 
should  be  well  watered  before  they  are  pulled,  so  as  to  have  as 
much  dirt  as  possible  adhere  to  the  roots,  and  removed  from  the  beds 
carefully,  so  as  to  preserve  as  many  of  the  small  fibrous  roots  as 
possible.  On  the  right  in  figure  6,  is  a  plant  that  has  been  properly 
removed.  At  this  time  the  large  outer  leaves  should  be  pinched 
back.  This  latter  practice  is  especially  desirable  if  transplanting 
takes  place  during  the  season  of  the  year  when  the  days  are  hot 
and  when  the  relative  humidity  is  low. 

Growing  plants  in  cold  frames. — The  cold  frame  is  much  more 
commonly  used  in  California  for  growing  early  cabbage  plants  than 
is  the  hot  bed.  In  most  sections,  even  in  northern  California,  the 
weather  is  so  mild  that  cabbage  plants  can  be  started  if  the  frames 
are  located  in  a  protected  place  and  covered  with  glass  or  muslin. 
The  plants  grown  in  cold  frames  are  usually  more  vigorous,  stockier 
and  hardier  than  hot  bed  grown  plants.  The  cold  frame  is  made 
like  the  hot  bed  except  that  no  excavation  or  pit  is  dug.  The  frame 
rests  directly  on  the  surface  of  the  ground.  Figure  5  shows  top  view 
of  cold  frame  with  dimensions  and  method  of  construction.  The 
seed  will  be  a  little  slower  to  germinate  in  the  cold  frame  than  in 
the  hot  bed  and  it  will  take  a  little  longer  for  the  plant  to  reach 
the  transplanting  stage. 

Growing  plants  in  open  beds. — In  many  sections  of  California 
the  plants  are  grown  in  open  beds.  If  the  plants  are  grown  during 
the  summer  the  seed  is  often  drilled  in  beds  in  the  open  field.  If 
grown  during  the  fall,  winter  or  spring,  the  seed  bed  is  located  in 
a  more  or  less  protected  place.     If  the  seed  bed  is  subjected  to 


12 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


baking,  the  hard  crust  may  prevent  the  seedlings  from  coming  through. 
A  covering  of  straw  or  burlap  sacks  may  be  placed  over  the  beds, 
but  should  be  removed  as  soon  as  the  seedlings  break  through  the  soil. 
The  time  required  for  plants  to  reach  the  transplanting  age  varies 
with  the  time  of  the  year.  During  the  cooler  portion  of  the  year 
eight  to  nine  weeks  is  usually  sufficient  if  plants  are  grown  in  cold 


Fig.  6. — As  many  small  roots  as  possible  should  be  preserved  when  trans- 
planting.    Plant  on  the  right  has  been  properly  removed. 


frames  or  open  beds.  If  the  plants  are  grown  during  the  warm 
part  of  the  year  or  in  hot  beds  a  much  shorter  time,  approximately 
six  weeks,  will  bring  the  plants  to  the  proper  size.  An  effort  should 
be  made  to  grow  the  plants  in  such  a  manner  as  to  have  a  uniform, 
continuous  growth.  Stunting  plants  in  the  seed  bed  is  often  one 
of  the  chief  reasons  for  poor  heading  and  crop  failure.  In  some 
parts  of  the  state  the  plants  are  allowed  to  remain  in  the  crowded 


CIRCULAR  262]  CABBAGE   PRODUCTION    IN    CALIFORNIA  13 

seed  bed  for  a  period  of  twelve  to  fifteen  weeks.  The  plants  then 
become  badly  stunted,  the  stems  become  woody,  the  lower  leaves 
turn  yellow  and  drop  off.  This  retarding  and  checking  of  growth  for 
such  a  long  period  may  contribute  somewhat  to  the  trouble  of  pre- 
mature seeding  often  experienced. 

FIELD  PLANTING  AND  CULTUEE 

Soil. — Cabbage  will  adapt  itself  to  a  wide  range  of  soil  types. 
Large  acreages  are  grown  on  muck,  clay  loam  and  sandy  loam  soils. 
The  earliest  cabbage  is  grown  on  the  lighter  types  of  soil  that  warm 


Fig.  7. — Cabbages  when  transplanted  are  placed  on  the  edges  of  the  furrows. 

up  rapidly  in  the  spring.  The  heaviest  corps  are  produced,  how- 
ever, on  the  heavier  soils.  The  cabbage  crop  is  a  strong  feeder  and 
should  therefore  be  given  liberal  fertilization.  An  application  of 
ten  to  twenty  tons  per  acre  of  well  rotted  barnyard  manure  will 
usually  be  found  profitable.  Commercial  fertilizer  should  be  applied 
providing  barnyard  manure  cannot  be  obtained  at  a  reasonable  cost. 
The  amount  and  mixture  to  apply  depends  upon  the  original  fertility 
of  the  soil.  An  occasional  dressing  of  nitrate  of  soda  at  the  rate  of  50 
to  100  pounds  per  acre  will  keep  the  crop  growing  and  give  it  a  dark 
green  color.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  lay  down  rules  for  fertilizer 
applications  that  will  hold  for  the  entire  state,  or  even  for  any  large 


14  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

district  within  the  state.  The  grower  should  make  a  number  of  ferti- 
lizer tests  on  his  own  farm  and  determine  the  most  profitable  amount 
to  apply  and  the  best  formula  to  use. 

The  plants  are  usually  set  on  the  edge  of  ridges  or  beds,  if  planted 
during  the  dry  part  of  the  year.  Figure  7  shows  the  method  of 
planting  prevalent  in  most  sections  of  the  state.  The  number  of 
plants  required  to  plant  an  acre  can  be  determined  by  multiplying 
the  distance  in  feet  between  plants  in  the  row,  by  the  distance  between 
rows,  and  dividing  this  product  into  43,560,  which  is  the  number  of 
square  feet  in  one  acre.  Small  acreages  are  usually  planted  by  hand 
by  the  use  of  dibbles,  trowels,  spades  or  the  '  *  scandigie, "  while  large 
acreages  are  set  with  the  aid  of  horse  drawn  transplanters.  The 
distance  between  plants  varies  with  the  variety.  Large  heads  are 
not  especially  desirable  for  shipping  purposes  and  when  the  larger 
types  are  planted  for  shipping  they  should  be  crowded  somewhat 
so  that  a  smaller  head  will  be  produced. 

The  cabbage  crop  responds  to  good  cultivation ;  it  will  not  tolerate 
neglect  like  some  of  our  other  garden  and  truck  crops.  Cultivation 
should  be  thorough  and  frequent.  Everything  possible  in  the  way 
of  tillage,  regulation  of  water  supply  and  fertilization  should  be 
done  to  keep  the  plants  in  a  healthy  growing  condition,  and  develop- 
ment should  not  be  severely  checked  at  any  time. 

If  cabbage  plants  are  stunted  during  the  winter  by  extremely 
cold  weather,  or  by  not  receiving  the  proper  attention  as  to  water- 
ing and  cultivation,  an  unusually  large  percentage  will  shoot  to  seed 
when  the  weather  turns  warm  in  the  spring.  Conditions  that  favor 
a  uniform  and  steady  growth  throughout  the  winter  are  conducive 
to  good  head  formation  and  low  percentage  of  flower  development. 
The  variety  or  strain  also  has  a  great  deal  to  do  with  this  tendency 
to  shoot  to  seed  stalks.  Experiments  at  the  Virginia  Truck  Experi- 
ment Station  show  a  great  difference  between  strains  of  Early  Jersey 
Wakefield  in  percentage  of  plants  forming  seed  stalks  prematurely. 
Bulletins  37  and  38  of  the  above  station  state,  "Indications  are  that 
certain  inherent  tendencies  in  the  seed  itself  contribute  to  this  con- 
dition ...  In  the  four  earliest  lots  of  Early  Jersey  Wakefield 
an  average  of  10.9  per  cent  of  the  plants  went  to  seed  as  compared 
with  21.7  per  cent  in  the  four  latest  heading  lots.  This  correlation 
between  early  uniform  heading  and  a  low  percentage  of  seed  stalks 
has  been  frequently  noted  in  the  commercial  fields.  The  plants  which 
form  a  small  compact  head  early  in  the  season  are  less  likely  to 
seed  prematurely  than  those  which  are  somewhat  open  headed  and 
leafy." 


Circular  262]  CABBAGE   PRODUCTION   IN    CALIFORNIA  15 

HARVESTING  AND   GRADING 

Growers  and  shippers  should  take  great  care  in  harvesting  and 
grading  their  product.  Rough  handling  in  harvesting  and  packing 
will  cause  bruises  that  facilitate  the  entrance  of  disease  that  may 
cause  much  loss  to  the  shipper.  In  shipping  a  tight  pack  is  also 
very  important.  Cabbage  shrinks  somewhat  due  to  loss  of  water. 
The  crate  should  be  well  packed  and  given  a  good  bulge  to  take  care 
of  shrinkage  in  transit.  Heads  packed  tightly  are  less  liable  to  bruise 
and  injury  than  when  free  to  move  within  the  crates.  Rigid  grading 
is  of  utmost  importance  to  the  California  shipper.  It  is  only  by 
placing  a  superior  product  on  the  markets  of  the  Eastern,  Central 
and  Middle  Western  states  that  we  can  hope  to  compete  with  the 
districts  nearer  the  large  consuming  centers.  Standard  grades  are 
being  established  to  serve  as  a  guide  for  growers  and  packers  in  the 
grading  of  their  produce  and  to  aid  state  and  federal  inspection  at 
the  point  of  shipment  and  upon  arrival  at  destination. 

The  United  States  grades  for  cabbage  as  formulated  by  experts 
of  the  Bureau  of  Agricultural  Economics  of  the  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  issued  on  February  16,  1922,  are  as  follows: 

U.  S.  NO.  1 

U.  S.  No.  1  shall  consist  of  heads  of  cabbage  which  are  of  one  type, 
fairly  firm  and  well  trimmed;  which  are  not  soft,  withered,  puffy 
or  burst ;  which  are  free  from  soft  rot,  seed  stems  and  from  damage 
caused  by  discoloration,  freezing,  disease,  insects,  or  mechanical  or 
other  means. 

In  order  to  allow  for  variations  incident  to  proper  grading  and 
handling,  not  more  than  10  per  cent,  by  weight,  of  any  lot  may  be 
below  the  requirements  of  this  grade. 

Any  lot  of  cabbage  consisting  of  heads  of  more  than  one  type 
but  which  meet  all  other  requirements  of  U.  S.  No.  1  may  be  desig- 
nated U.  S.  No.  1  Mixed. 

U.  S.  NO.  2 

V.  S.  No.  2  shall  consist  of  heads  of  cabbage  which  do  not  meet  the 
requirements  of  the  foregoing  grade. 

SIZE 

In  addition  to  the  statement  of  grade,  any  lot  may  be  classified 
as  Small,  Medium,  Large,  Small  to  Medium,  or  Medium  to  Large, 


16  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

if  75  per  cent,  by  weight,  of  the  heads  conform  to  the  following 
requirements  for  such  sizes: 

Small  Medium  Large 

Pointed  Under  2  lbs.  2  to  4  lbs.,  inclusive  Over  4  lbs. 

Other  types  Under  4  lbs.  4  to  6  lbs.,  inclusive  Over  6  lbs. 


DEFINITION  OF  TEEMS 
As  used  in  these  grades: 

"One  type"  means  that  all  the  lot  is  Pointed,  Danish,  Domestic, 
Savoy  or  Red,  as  the  case  may  be.  Pointed  type  includes  such  vari- 
eties as  Early  Jersey  Wakefield,  Charleston  Wakefield,  Early  York, 
Winningstadt,  and  others  which  normally  develop  oblong,  conical 
or  pointed  shaped  heads.  Danish  type  includes  such  late  maturing 
varieties  as  Danish  Ballhead  or  Hollander  and  Danish  Roundhead, 
which  normally  develop  hard,  tightleaved,  compactly  formed  heads. 
A  head  of  any  such  variety  even  after  trimming  will  appear  tight 
and  smooth-leaved  around  the  basal  portion  and  when  viewed  from 
the  stem  end,  circular  and  regular  in  outline.  Domestic  type  includes 
such  varieties  as  Succession,  All  Head  Early  Plat  Dutch  and  others 
that  are  commonly  termed  Domestic  and  which  normally  develop 
heads  flat  in  shape  and  less  compactly  formed  than  those  of  the  Danish 
type.  The  term  also  includes  such  varieties  as  Copenhagen,  Glory 
of  Enkhuizen,  and  others  that  develop  heads  roundish  in  shape  but 
which  in  solidity  of  head  and  storage  qualities  are  similar  to  the 
Flat  Domestic  type. 

"Fairly  firm"  means  that  the  heads  yield  slightly  to  pressure 
but  are  not  soft. 

"Well  trimmed"  means  that  the  head  shall  have  not  more  than 
four  wrapper  leaves  attached  and  any  portion  of  these  leaves  appre- 
ciably injured  by  worms  or  other  means  shall  be  removed,  and  the 
stem  shall  be  not  longer  than  one-half  inch. 

"Soft"  means  loosely  formed  or  lacking  compactness. 

"Puffy"  means  that  the  heads  are  very  light  in  weight  in  com- 
parison to  size  and  have  air  spaces  in  the  central  portion.  They 
normally  feel  firm  at  time  of  harvesting  but  soften  quickly.  They 
are  known  as  "Balloon  Heads"  in  certain  sections. 

"Seed  Stems"  means  those  heads  which  have  seed  stalks  show- 
ing or  in  which  the  formation  of  seed  stalks  has  plainly  begun. 

"Free  from  damage"  means  that  the  head  shall  not  be  injured 
to  an  extent  readily  apparent  upon  examination. 


CIRCULAR  262]  CABBAGE    PRODUCTION    IN    CALIFORNIA  17 

INSPECTION* 

"In  July,  1920,  there  was  established  in  California  a  commercial 
shipping-point  inspection  service  carried  on  by  the  Bureau  of  Stand- 
ardization, State  Department  of  Agriculture.  This  service  employs 
a  corps  of  experienced,  highly  trained  men  who  are  authorized  to 
inspect  and  certify  to  the  exact  quality  and  condition  of  the  produce 
at  time  of  packing  and  shipping.  The  demand  for  this  service  has 
increased  steadily  and  its  scope  and  importance  has  been  greatly 
enlarged.  Although  such  inspections  were  made  only  on  request, 
between  2,000  and  3,000  cars  of  vegetables  were  inspected  and  certified 
during  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1922.  On  July  1,  1922,  this 
service  was  federalized,  each  inspector  being  deputized  by  the  federal 
government,  and  certificates  issued  are  now  prima  facie  evidence  in 
all  courts  of  the  United  States," 

"This  inspection  service  is  available  in  all  of  the  leading  vege- 
table producing  sections  in  the  state.  The  certificate  shows  the  hour 
and  date  of  inspection,  inspection  or  shipping  point,  name  and  address 
of  the  shipper  and  consignee  (when  given),  car  initials  and  number, 
kind  of  car  and  its  condition,  if  a  refrigerator  the  amount  of  ice 
in  the  bunkers;  the  quantity  of  the  products  inspected;  description 
of  load  and  container;  condition  of  pack;  sizing,  quality  and  condi- 
tion of  the  products;  color,  grade,  remarks.  The  buyer,  therefore, 
knows  the  exact  quality  and  condition  of  the  product  at  the  time  the 
car  is  loaded,  although  he  may  be  at  a  considerable  distance  from 
the  shipping  point.  These  shipping-point  certificates  are  valuable 
to  the  grower  as  they  protect  his  interests  in  the  adjustment  of  claims 
or  on  a  declining  market.  On  the  other  hand,  the  buyer  is  assured 
that  he  will  receive  the  quality  of  produce  for  which  he  has  paid 
before  seeing  it.  Whenever  requested,  a  telegram  giving  the  sub- 
stance of  an  inspection  will  be  sent  "collect"  to  the  buyer  or  any 
other  interested  party,  so  that  the  exact  condition  of  a  carload  can 
be  ascertained  before  the  sale  is  even  consummated. ' ' 

INSECT  AND  DISEASE  PESTS  AND  METHODS  OF  CONTROL 

Callage  root  maggot. — It  is  during  the  larval  stage  that  cabbage 
root  maggot  does  its  destructive  work.  The  adult  flies  lay  their  eggs 
on  the  stem  of  the  cabbage  plant  near  the  surface  of  the  ground  or 
on  the  soil  in  close  proximity  to  the  plant.  The  larvae  are  hatched 
within  a  few  days,  the  length  of  time  required  for  hatching  depend- 


*  The  Successful  Marketing  of  California  Vegetables.     Special  Publication  No. 
32.     California  State  Department  of  Agriculture. 


18  UNIVERSITY   OF    CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT    STATION 

ing  largely  upon  the  temperature.  The  young  larva  migrate  to  the 
stem  and  roots  below  ground  and  there  feed  upon  the  epidermis 
and  cortex  and  often  burrow  the  entire  system  below  ground.  The 
larvae  or  maggots  are  white  in  color  and  about  one-fourth  inch  in 
length  when  full  grown.  If  the  plant  is  badly  infested  it  will  wilt 
down  and  in  the  majority  of  cases  does  not  recover.  When  the 
attack  is  light  about  the  only  evidence  is  the  slowing  up  in  the  rate 
of  growth  of  the  plant. 

As  the  root  maggot  infests  many  of  the  mustard  crops,  such  as 
radishes,  turnips,  cauliflower,  it  is  desirable  to  practice  a  rotation  with 
crops  not  related  to  this  group.  Plow  and  work  the  soil  during  the 
late  fall,  winter  and  early  spring  to  expose  and  destroy  the  pupae. 
Tarred  paper  disks  have  been  used  extensively  to  prevent  the  adult 
flies  from  depositing  their  eggs  about  the  plant.  The  disks  should  be 
applied  at  transplanting  time  or  at  least  before  the  flies  start  to 
deposit  their  eggs. 

Corrosive  sublimate  has  been  used  for  some  time  in  England  for 
the  control  of  this  pest  and  within  recent  years  has  been  put  to 
experimental  test  in  the  United  States  and  Canada.  The  first  appli- 
cation must  be  made  three  or  four  days  after  transplanting;  the 
second  application  nine  or  ten  days  after  transplanting  and  the  third 
application  nineteen  or  twenty  days  after  transplanting.  Later  appli- 
cations should  not  be  made  because  of  the  danger  of  poisoning  the 
consumer.  Dissolve  one  ounce  of  corrosive  sublimate  in  a  small 
amount  of  hot  water,  then  add  water  sufficient  to  make  10  gallons. 
About  the  stem  of  each  plant  pour  one-fourth  teacup  of  this  solu- 
tion at  each  treatment.  This  material  is  corrosive,  therefore  should 
not  be  mixed  in  metal  containers  but  in  wooden  barrels  or  earthen 
containers.  The  cost  of  each  application  is  eight  to  ten  dollars  an 
acre.  It  will  take  approximately  200  gallons  of  solution  an  acre 
for  each  application. 

Cabbage  Aphis.  —  Cabbage  aphis  infestations  are  very  general 
throughout  the  state,  not  only  attacking  cabbage  but  many  of  the 
related  Brassicas.  The  aphis  colonies  are  usually  found  on  the  under 
side  of  the  older  leaves  and  on  the  young  succulent  inner  leaves.  They 
lower  the  vitality  of  the  plant  by  sucking  out  the  juice  and  cause 
a  curled  and  wrinkled  appearance. 

A  good  liquid  spray  for  control  of  aphis  is  made  up  of  the  follow- 
ing: 

Nicotine  sulfate  40  per  cent  1  pint 

Fish  oil  soap  5  pounds 

Water    100  gallons 


Circular  262] 


CABBAGE   PRODUCTION    IN    CALIFORNIA 


19 


An  effort  should  be  made  to  have  spray  reach  the  under  side  of  the 
leaves  and  especially  the  central  leaves. 

A  dust  containing  5  per  cent  of  40  per  cent  nicotine  sulfate  has 
been  found  to  give  the  most  satisfactory  and  at  the  same  time  the 


^3w  W 


w*^&^Mrxt&i     (?''            .**•« 

ia 

■ffi#i?/< 

;j  .•'>-'. m 

tl 

WKPjmrli'^  t  '•  ''I 

Fig.   8. — Cabbage  affected  by  nematode  worms. 
(After  L.  L.  Harter.) 

most  economical  control.  A  good  formula  for  making  this  dust  is 
95  pounds  of  hydrated  lime  plus  5  pounds  of  40  per  cent  nicotine 
sulfate.  Mixing  should  be  thorough  and  only  sufficient  made  for 
immediate  use.  On  cabbage  less  than  half  grown  about  30  pounds 
of  dust  an  acre  will  be  required,  and  on  more  mature  plants  about 


20  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

50  pounds  an  acre.  (For  further  information  relative  to  dusting 
see  Farmers'  Bulletin  No.  1282  and  California  Agricultural  Experi- 
ment station  Bulletin  No.  336  and  No.  357). 

Cutworms. — In  some  sections,  especially  on  land  that  has  recently 
been  in  sod,  the  cutworms  are  a  serious  pest.  They  cut  off  the  young 
plant  near  the  surface  of  the  ground,  often  destroying  many  plants. 
The  best  method  of  control  is  by  the  use  of  poisoned  baits.  The 
following  formula  is  recommended. 

Bran . 25  pounds 

White  Arsenic 1  pound 

Molasses  (cheap  blackstrap  preferred)  2  quarts 

Thoroughly  mix  the  arsenic  and  dry  bran.  Dilute  the  molasses  with 
a  small  amount  of  water  and  then  mix  with  the  bran  into  a  moist 
mash.  A  barely  moist  mash  is  preferable  to  wet  sloppy  mash.  Allow 
the  mash  to  stand  for  several  hours  in  order  to  give  the  bran  an 
opportunity  to  take  up  the  arsenic.  Scatter  the  mash  along  the 
rows  or  near  the  base  of  the  plants.  It  is  best  to  make  the  appli- 
cation toward  evening  since  the  cutworms  feed  chiefly  at  night. 

Nematodes. — The  nematode,  eel  worm,  or  gall  worm,  as  it  is  often 
termed,  because  of  the  gall-like  growth  it  produces  on  the  roots  of 
plants,  has  not  been  reported  as  a  very  serious  pest  on  the  cabbage. 
The  presence  of  this  microscopic  worm  in  the  tissue  of  the  root  causes 
stimulation  of  growth  in  the  vicinity  of  the  parasite  with  resultant 
gall  formation.  Nematodes  are  seldom  found  in  the  heavier  soil  types 
but  are  prevalent  in  soils  of  a  light  sandy  nature.  Infected  plants 
are  retarded  in  growth  and  have  a  stunted  appearance  and  when  pulled 
up  the  roots  have  the  characteristic  knotty  growths.  Cereal  and  grass 
crops  are  resistant  to  the  nematode  and  should  be  planted  if  the 
infestation  is  severe.  Iron  and  Brabham  varieties  of  cowpeas  and 
velvet  beans  are  almost  entirely  immune  from  nematode  attack,  and 
can  be  planted  as  a  green  manure  crop  if  adapted  to  the  locality  in 
preference  to  other  legumes  that  are  more  susceptible  to  nematode 
attack. 

Extra  care  should  be  used  to  select  a  seed  bed  entirely  free  from 
nematodes.  An  entire  field  may  become  infested  as  a  result  of  the 
plants  becoming  infested  in  the  seed  bed.  Plants  should  not  be 
imported  from  localities  known  to  be  badly  infested  with  nematodes. 
Figure  8  shows  the  appearance  of  cabbage  roots  badly  infested  wi|h 
nematodes. 

Cabbage  worm. — The  cabbage  worm  is  without  doubt  the  most 
serious  pest   with  which  the  cabbage  grower   in   California  has  to 


Circular  262] 


CABBAGE   PRODUCTION    IN    CALIFORNIA 


21 


contend.  Although  it  is  easy  to  control,  nevertheless  the  damage 
caused  by  this  pest  on  the  late  summer  and  fall  crops  is  tremendous. 
Arsenicals  have  proven  to  give  the  best  control.  There  is  a  hesitancy 
on  the  part  of  some  of  the  growers  to  apply  lead  arsenate  or  other 
arsenical  sprays  because  of  the  possible  danger  to  the  consumer. 
Arsenicals,  however,  can  be  used  as  a  control  without  danger  of  poison- 
ing, as  the  cabbage  head  grows  from  the  inside  and  all  of  the  leaves 
that  the  spray  can  possibly  reach  are  discarded  in  the  field  at  time 
of  cutting  and  trimming,  and  by  the  ultimate  consumer  in  the  final 
preparation  for  the  table.     As  a  result  of  this  fear  of  using  arsenical 


Fig.    9. — Female    butterfly    of    the    imported    cabbage    worm    Pontia    rapae 
(Linn)   enlarged  one  and  one-half  times   (after  E.  O.  Essig). 


sprays  many  other  non-arsenical  sprays  and  dusts  have  been  used 
that  have  given  little  or  no  control,  with  consequent  great  loss  to  the 
grower.  In  young  plants  the  larvae  eat  the  succulent  leaves  and 
when  the  attack  is  severe  often  only  a  network  of  veins  is  left.  In 
the  older  plant,  after  the  head  has  started  to  form,  the  worms  often 
bore  into  the  head,  ruining  it  for  market.  Some  of  the  most  serious 
infestations  take  place  in  the  plant  beds.  Arsenicals  can  be  applied 
in  solution  or  as  a  dust.  A  recommended  liquid  spray  is  1%  pounds 
of  powdered  lead  arsenate,  or  3  pounds  of  lead  arsenate  paste,  to 
50  gallons  of  water.  In  order  to  make  the  spray  adhere  and  spread 
out  in  a  thin  film  over  the  leaves,  add  1  pound  of  common  laundry 
soap  to  each  50  gallons  of  solution.  The  time  to  spray  and  number 
of  applications  to  make  depends  entirely  upon  the  infestation.  Some- 
times one  or  two  sprayings  at  the  proper  time  will  be  sufficient  for 


22  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

the  entire  season.  Again,  it  may  be  necessary  to  spray  every  ten 
days  or  two  weeks. 

Excellent  control  can  be  obtained  by  dusting  with  a  mixture  of 
1  pound  of  powdered  lead  arsenate  and  8  to  10  pounds  of  air-slaked 
lime  or  gypsum  (land  plaster).  The  dust  can  be  applied  with  a 
hand  duster,  by  shaking  through  a  burlap  sack  or  a  tin  can  perforated 
at  one  end.  Dust  should  be  applied  early  in  the  morning  while  the 
dew  is  still  on  the  plants.  Figure  9  shows  a  female  specimen  of  the 
cabbage  butterfly. 

Diseases. — Many  of  the  cabbage  diseases  so  prevalent  in  the  eastern 
and  northern  cabbage  sections  of  the  United  States  are  of  little  con- 
cern to  the  cabbage  growers  in  California.  This  is  due,  no  doubt, 
largely  to  the  fact  that  cabbage  is  produced  during  the  fall,  winter 
and  early  spring,  when  the  temperature  of  soil  and  atmosphere  is 
uniformly  low. 

Damping-off. — This  is  a  seedling  disease  prevalent  in  the  seed  bed. 
The  common  symptom  is  a  shriveling  of  the  stem  at  the  surface  of 
the  ground  and  the  falling  over  and  dying  of  the  young'  plant.  This 
damping-off  may  be  caused  by  a  number  of  different  fungi  and  is 
most  prevalent  in  seed  beds  that  are  crowded,  damp  and  poorly 
ventilated.  In  attempting  to  control  this  disease  preventive  rather 
than  curative  measures  should  be  used.  Use  new  soil  each  year  for 
the  seed  bed.  The  light,  well  drained,  sandy  loam  soils  are  better 
than  the  heavier  types.  The  surface  of  the  bed  should  be  stirred 
frequently  to  facilitate  drying  and  air  circulation.  The  bed  should 
be  located  where  it  will  get  plenty  of  sunlight  and  good  circulation 
of  air.  On  cloudy  days  the  beds  should  not  be  watered  and  on 
bright  days  sprinkle  early  in  the  morning.  Frequent  light  water- 
ings are  less  desirable  than  thorough  wettings  at  longer  intervals. 
If  irrigation  is  practiced,  the  soil  should  be  well  stirred  as  soon  as 
possible  after  each  irrigation.  Sow  seed  in  rows  far  enough  apart 
to  allow  a  good  air  circulation  about  the  plants  and  to  permit  the 
sun's  ravs  to  strike  the  soil. 


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

Many  thanks  are  due  Mr.  H.  W.  Shepherd  for  making  the  copies 
for  figures  1,  2,  3,  and  5  and  to  Mr.  R.  G.  Risser  for  reading  the 
manuscript. 


STATION  PUBLICATIONS  AVAILABLE  FOR  FREE  DISTRIBUTION 


No. 
253. 

261. 

262. 

263. 
268. 
270. 

273. 

275. 

276. 
277. 
278. 
279. 
280. 

283. 
285. 
286. 
287. 
204. 
298. 
304. 

308. 


312. 
317. 

319. 
321. 
324. 

325. 


328. 


Irrigation  and  Soil  Conditions  in  the 
Sierra  Nevada  Foothills,  California. 

Melaxuma  of  the  Walnut,  "Juglans 
regia." 

Citrus  Diseases  of  Florida  and  Cuba 
Compared  with  those  of  California. 

Size  Grades  for  Ripe  Olives. 

Growing  and  Grafting  Olive  Seedlings 

A  Comparison  of  Annual  Cropping,  Bi- 
ennial Cropping,  and  Green  Manures 
on  the  Yield  of  Wheat. 

Preliminary  Report  on  Kearney  Vine- 
yard Experimental  Drain. 

The  Cultivation  of  Belladonna  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

The   Pomegranate. 

Sudan  Grass. 

Grain   Sorghums. 

Irrigation  of  Rice  in  California. 

Irrigation  of  Alfalfa  in  the  Sacramento 
Valley. 

The  Olive  Insects  of  California. 

The  Milk  Goat  in  California. 

Commercial    Fertilizers. 

Vinegar  from  Waste  Fruits. 

Bean   Culture   in   California. 

Seedless  Raisin  Grapes. 

A  Study  of  the  Effects  of  Freezes  on 
Citrus   in   California. 

I.  Fumigation  with  Liquid  Hydrocyanic 
Acid.  II.  Physical  and  Chemical  Prop- 
erties of  Liquid  Hydrocyanic  Acid. 

Mariout  Barley. 

Selections  of  Stocks  in  Citrus  Propa- 
gation. 

Caprifigs  and  Caprification. 

Commercial  Production  of  Grape  Syrup. 

Storage  of  Perishable  Fruit  at  Freezing 
Temperatures. 

Rice  Irrigation  Measurements  and  Ex- 
periments in  Sacramento  Valley, 
1914-1919. 

Prune  Growing  in  California. 


BULLETINS 

No. 
331. 

334. 


335. 

336. 

337. 
339. 

341. 
343. 
344. 

347. 

348. 
349. 

350. 
351. 
352. 

353. 
354. 
355. 
357. 


358. 

359. 
360. 

361. 

362. 
363. 

364. 

365. 


Phylloxera-Resistant  Stocks. 

Preliminary  Volume  Tables  for  Second- 
Growth  Redwoods. 

Cocoanut   Meal   as    a   Feed   for   Dairy 
Cows  and  Other  Livestock. 

The   Preparation  of  Nicotine  Dust  as 
an  Insecticide. 

Some  Factors  of  Dehydrater  Efficiency. 

The  Relative  Cost  of  Making  Logs  from 
Small    and   Large   Timber. 

Studies  on  Irrigation  of  Citrus  Groves. 

Cheese  Pests  and  Their  Control. 

Cold  Storage  as  an  Aid  to  the  Market- 
ing of  Plums. 

The  Control  of  Red  Spiders  in  Decidu- 
ous Orchards. 

Pruning  Young  Olive  Trees. 

A    Study    of    Sidedraft    and    Tractor 
Hitches. 

Agriculture  in  Cut-over  Redwood  Lands. 

California  State  Dairy  Cow  Competition. 

Further  Experiments  in  Plum  Pollina- 
tion. 

Bovine  Infectious  Abortion. 

Results  of  Rice  Experiments  in  1922. 

The  Peach  Twig  Borer. 

A    Self-mixing    Dusting    Machine 
Applying      Dry      Insecticides 
Fungicides. 

Black    Measles,    Water    Berries, 
Related   Vine   Troubles. 

Fruit  Beverage  Investigations. 

Gum  Diseases  of  Citrus  Trees  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

Preliminary  Volume  Tables  for  Second 
Growth  Redwood. 

Dust  and  the  Tractor  Engine. 

The  Pruning  of  Citrus  Trees  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

Fungicidal   Dusts   for   the   Control   of 
Bunt. 

Avocado  Culture  in  California. 


for 
and 


and 


CIRCULARS 

No.  -  No. 

70.  Observations    on    the    Status   of    Corn  160. 

Growing  in  California.  161. 

82.  The  Common  Ground  Squirrel  of  Cali-  ]  64. 

fornia.  165.' 
87.  Alfalfa. 

111.  The  Use  of  Lime  and  Gypsum  on  Cali-  166. 

fornia  Soils.  167! 

113.  Correspondence  Courses  in  Agriculture.  170. 
117.  The    Selection    and    Cost    of    a    Small 

Pumping  Plant.  172. 

127.  House  Fumigation.  173. 
136.  Melilotus   indica    as    a    Green-Manure 

Crop  for  California.  174. 

144.   Oidium  or  Powdery  Mildew  of  the  Vine.  175. 

151.  Feeding  and  Management  of  Hogs. 

152.  Some  Observations  on  the  Bulk  Hand-  178. 

ling  of  Grain   in   California.  179. 

153.  Announcement  of  the  California  State 

Dairy  Cow  Competition,   1916-18.  182. 

154.  Irrigation   Practice  in   Growing   Small 

Fruit  in  California.  184. 

155.  Bovine  Tuberculosis.  188. 
157.  Control  of  the  Pear  Scab.  190. 
159.  Agriculture  in  the  Imperial  Valley.  193. 


Lettuce  Growing  in  California. 
Potatoes  in   California. 
Small  Fruit  Culture  in  California. 
Fundamentals   of    Sugar   Beet   Culture 

under  California  Conditions. 
The  County  Farm  Bureau. 
Feeding  Stuffs  of  Minor  Importance. 
Fertilizing  California  Soils  for  the  1918 

Crop. 
Wheat  Culture. 
The    Construction    of   the    Wood-Hoop 

Silo. 
Farm   Drainage  Methods. 
Progress  Report  on  the  Marketing  and 

Distribution  of  Milk. 
The  Packing  of  Apples  in«California. 
Factors    of    Importance    in    Producing 

Milk  of  Low  Bacterial  Count. 
Extending  the  Area  of  Irrigated  Wheat 

in   California  for  1918. 
A  Flock  of  Sheep  on  the  Farm. 
Lambing  Sheds. 

Agriculture  Clubs  in  California. 
A  Study  of  Farm  Labor  in  California. 


CIRCULARS — Continued 


No. 

198.  Syrup  from   Sweet  Sorghum. 

199.  Onion  Growing  in  California. 

201.  Helpful  Hints  to  Hog  Raisers. 

202.  County    Organizations   for   Rural    Fire 

Control. 

203.  Peat  as  a  Manure  Substitute. 

205.  Blackleg. 

206.  Jack  Cheese. 

208.  Summary  of  the  Annual  Reports  of  the 

Farm  Advisors  of  California. 

209.  The  Function  of  the  Farm  Bureau. 

210.  Suggestions  to  the  Settler  in  California. 
212.   Salvaging  Rain-Damaged  Prunes. 

214.  Seed  Treatment  for  the  Prevention  of 

Cereal  Smuts. 

215.  Feeding  Dairy  Cows  in  California. 

217.  Methods   for   Marketing  Vegetables   in 

California. 

218.  Advanced    Registry    Testing    of    Dairy 

Cows. 

219.  The  Present  Status  of  Alkali. 

224.  Control  of  the  Brown  Apricot  Scale 
and  the  Italian  Pear  Scale  on  Decid- 
uous Fruit  Trees. 

228.  Vineyard   Irrigation  in   Arid  Climates. 

230.  Testing  Milk,  Cream,  and  Skim  Milk 
for  Butterfat. 

232.  Harvesting    and    Handling    California 

Cherries  for  Eastern  Shipment. 

233.  Artificial  Incubation. 

234.  Winter  Injury  to  Young  Walnut  Trees 

during  1921-22. 

235.  Soil  Analysis  and  Soil  and  Plant  Inter- 

relations. 

236.  The  Common  Hawks  and  Owls  of  Cali- 

fornia   from    the     Standpoint   of   the 
Rancher. 


No. 

237.  Directions  for  the  Tanning  and  Dress- 

ing of  Furs. 

238.  The  Apricot  in  California. 

239.  Harvesting  and  Handling  Apricots  and 

Plums  for  Eastern   Shipment. 

240.  Harvesting    and    Handling    Pears    for 

Eastern   Shipment. 

241.  Harvesting  and  Handling  Peaches  for 

Eastern   Shipment. 

242.  Poultry  Feeding. 

244.  Central  Wire  Bracing  for  Fruit  Trees. 

245.  Vine  Pruning  Systems. 

247.  Colonization   and  Rural  Development. 

248.  Some  Common  Errors  in  Vine  Pruning 

and  Their  Remedies. 

249.  Replacing  Missing  Vines. 

250.  Measurement   of   Irrigation   Water   on 

the   Farm. 

251.  Recommendations  Concerning  the  Com- 

mon    Diseases     and     Parasites     of 
Poultry    in    California. 

252.  Supports  for  Vines. 

253.  Vineyard   Plans. 

254.  The  Use  of  Artificial  Light  to  Increase 

Winter  Egg  Production. 

255.  Leguminous  Plants  as  Organic  Fertil- 

izer in  California  Agriculture. 

256.  The  Control  of  Wild  Morning  Glory. 

257.  The  Small-Seeded  Horse  Bean. 

258.  Thinning  Deciduous  Fruits. 

259.  Pear  By-products. 

260.  A  Selected  List  of  References  Relating 

to  Irrigation  in  California. 

261.  Sewing  Grain  Sacks. 

263.  Tomato  Production  in  California. 


